Vending-machine



A. D. GROVER.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1918.

1,385,822, Patented July 26, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET '1. I7

INVENTUR Jlberl?, @roven y ff 2 S HEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented July 26, 1921.

A. D. GROVEH.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLxcMloN FILED Mrws, 191s.

INVENT'EJR (/ber?) j). @roven UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT D. GROVE-R, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 AUTOSALESCORPORATION, A. CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

VENDING-MACHINE.

Application filed May 8, 1918.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT D. Gnoviiii, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the countyof New York and State of New York, have invented cert-ain new and usefulImprovements in Vending-Machines, of which thel following is aspecification.

My invention relates to vending machines and has for its object theprovision of a machine embodying certain improvements and advantagesover machines of this class heretofore constructed.

My invention is particularly applicable to multiple-compartment vendingmachines of the large type-that is to say, those which are operated inpublic places, like streets, railroad stations, and the like. Each ofthe magazines of my new machine has associated therewith a hand-operabledelivery mechanism. These mechanisms are mounted separately andindependently of each other, so that each mechanism may be removed fromthe machine as a unit without disturbing the other delivery mechanisms.In this way, should any one of these separate delivery mechanisms getout of order, it is easily replaced by another. Vhen these deliverymechanisms are in place on the machine, they form part of the front wallof the casing, and so dispense with the necessity of a separate outerplate to cover these mechanisms, as is found in many machines heretoforeconstructed.

Another object of my invention is to provide certain improvements in a.coin-controlled delivery mechanism employing a slidablecoin-plate and aplunger connected therewith.

The objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from adetailed description of the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1shows a plan view of a. portion of a vending machine embodying myinvention' Fig. 2 is a vertical section approximately on line 2-2 ofFig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross-section through one of the deliverymechanisms approximately on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, looking in the directionof the arrows;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 26, 1921.

serial No. 233,194.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section approximately on line 4 4 of Fig. 2,looking 1n the direction of the arrows toward the front of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a detached perspective view of the common frame-work whichsupports all of the delivery mechanisms, one of these mechanisms beingshown in place on the frame-work; and

Fig. 6 is a cross-section on line 6--6 of Fig.. 1, showing how thecoin-plate ejects a coin under certain conditions.

The outer casing of the machine may be of any preferred construction.For lack of space, the entire casing is not indicated in the drawings,but only certain portions thereof. The side walls of the casing areshown in the drawings at 1 and 2. These side walls project forwardly at3 so as to provide suiicient space to accommodate the deliverymechanisms. The grooves or channels 4 of the side walls 1 and 2 areadapted to receive the side members 5 of a supporting frame-workindicated as a whole by F and shown in perspective in Fig. 5. Thisframe-work preferably consists of a pair of transverse members 6 and 7on which are rigidly mounted the side members 5 and the intermediatemembers 8. The number of intermediate members will, of course, dependupon the number of delivery mechanisms to be embodied in the machine. Inthe drawings I have illustrated a four-compartment machine having fourdelivery mechanisms. The side members 5 are shown provided with bottomflanges 9 (see Fig. 4), through which pass suitable fastening devices,sucli as rivets l() or the like, whereby t-lie side members are rigidlymounted on the cross-pieces 6 and 7. These cross-pieces are preferablyprovided with upstanding flanges 11 and 12, which not only strengthenthe cross-pieces, but assist in rigidly mounting the members 5 and 8thereon. From Fig. 5 it will be seen that the members 5 vand 8 areprovided with notches 13 which firmly engage the flange 11 of the frontcross-piece 6. At the rear, the members 5 and 8 abut against theupstanding iange 12 of the rear cross-piece 7. The members 8 areprovided with bottom lugs 14 which enter corresponding openings in thecrosspieces 6 and 7, and by means of these lugs 14 the members 8 aresecurely riveted on to the cross-pieces 6 and 7. The frame-work F as awhole, is secured in place ibetween the side walls of the casing bysuitable fastening devices, such as screws 15, which pass throughopenings 16 in the front cross-piece 6 intov the top of the lower frontpanel 17 of the casing. This is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4'.

It will be seen from Figs. 4 and 5 that the members 5 and 8 of theframe-work F are provided with laterally projecting flanges which arearranged in pairs. These pairs of flanges are marked a, t, 0, and CZ,respectively. Between each pair of these flanges, is mounted a deliverymechanism. In Fig. 4, the four delivery mechanisms are, as a `whole,indicated respectively by A, B, C,

and D. The delivery mechanism A is mounted between the fianges a, themechanism B is mounted between the flanges b, and so o-n. As these fourmechanisms are .alike in construction, it will only be necessary todescribe one of them. 25 i Each delivery mechanism has a top plateindicated as a whole by P. This top plate consists of a horizontal frontsection 18, a horizontal rear section 19, an intermediate verticalsection 20, and a downwardly eX- tending front section 21. This plate ispreferably formed of a single piece of sheet metal and is bent into thedesired shape.

The top plate P of each delivery mechanism carries a casting indicatedas a whole by E, which is formed with 4a pair of side grooves 22. Bymeans of these grooves the delivery mechanism is adapted to be slid intoplace between a paia of flanges a, b, c, or d, on the main frame-work F.As clearly seen from Fig. 4, the flanges of the framework enter thegrooves or channels 22 and thereby support the mechanism in firmposition on the frame-work. The inward movement of the deliverymechanism is limited by the front section 21 of the top plate P engagingthe front edges of the supporting members 5 and 8of the framework. Itwill be seen from Fig. 4 that when the delivery'mechanisms are in placeon the frame-work F, the top plates P are contiguous, and so presentpractically a single outer plate which forms part of the outer casing ofthe machine.

The top plate P of each delivery mechanism is provided with acoin-entrance opening 23, which is in alinement with the coinopening 23ain the coin-slide 24. Through the vertical section 20 of the plate Pprojects a hand-operable plunger 24a, to which the coin-slide 24 isrigidly connected. A slidable block indicated as a whole by K is alsorigidly connected with the plunger 24a. This block is Vmounted toreciprocate between a pair of arms 25 projecting rearwardly from theplate P, These arms are securely mounted on the plate P in any suitablemanner, as by means of lugs 26 projecting through the top plate andserving as rivets. The arms 25 are provided with a pair of alined slots27 in which engage the cross-pieces 28 of the block K, as shown in Figs.2, 3 and 5. The arms 25 are at their rear connected by a crossmember 29,on which rests the rear end of the rod 30 which carries the returnspring 31. The arms 25 rest at their rear end on` top of a suitablesupporting member 32 rigidly mounted between-the side walls olf thecasing.

The block K of each delivery mechanism has pivoted thereon a suitableejecting member J. Associated with each delivery mechanism is a magazineM containing the goods or packages to be delivered. mount the magazinesdirectly on the arms I prefer to 25 of each delivery mechanism, as shownin Fig. 2, vwhere the arms 25 are shown provided with recesses 33adapted to receive the projections 34 at the lower end of the 'magazineIt will, of' course, be understood c1224a is pushed in without a coinhaving een previously deposited, the ejecting member J isl notsufliciently advanced to cause delivery of any goods. lVhen, however, aproper coin is deposited in the coinopening `23a of' the coin-slide 24and the plunger 24a is pushed in, the coin causes the normally lockedcoin-slide to be released and the plunger is free to be operatedto. itsfull extent. As a result, the pivotcd ejecting member J is' raised atits rear end so as to engage the bottom package 35 and push the samerearwardly out of' the magazine, from where it .drops down a deliverychute to an opening I'at the front of the lcasing (not shown);-

In view of the fact that the coin-controlled mechanism by which theejector J is actuated into ejecting position through the medium of aproper coin does not form part of my present invention, I have notdeemed it necessary to illustrate the same in detail, nor to describethe same. In the broad aspect of my invention, any suit-able deliverymechanism may be` carried by each of the plates P. For the sake ofconvenience, I have herein shown certain coincontrolled features whichform the subjectmatter of the Romans & Grover Patent No. 625,123, datedMay c, 1899.

The features of noveltywhich I claim in the delivery mechanism hereinshown, are: first, the means by which the slidable block is preventedfrom being tilted upwardly ISQ by a downward pressure on the plunger24a; second, the means for causing the coinslide 24 to eject a coinwhich is deposited when the coin-slide is out of normal position; third,the means for permitting removal of a deposited coin through thecoinentrance opening 23; and, fourth, guarding against the horizontalinsertion of an in-v .delivery mechanism has secured thereto, by

means of screws e, or otherwise, a member indicated as a whole by E.This member has a front extension f whichl forms practically acontinuation of the front end of the casting E, and a depending rearextension g. Thefront section 21 of each plate P is provided with acoin-discharge opening 7L. Should a coin be deposited through` thecoinentrance opening 23 when the coin-slide 24 is in inner or actuatedposition, the coin will drop on to the top of the casting E. lVhen thecoin-slide then returns forwardly to normal position, the front edge ofthe slide will push the coin (see H, Fig. G) out of the machine throughthe opening 7L.

The member E is provided with an opening 76, which is in alinement withthe opening or cut-out portion 7c of the casting E. The front section 21of the plate P has an opening m. As seen from Fig. 6, the openings m,7c, 7c', 23a and 23, are lin alinement,

so that an instrument may be inserted into the opening m to lift adeposited coin out of the opening 23, whenever the intending purchaserdesires for some reason to get back his deposited coin. The dependingextension ,f/ of the member E" is so arranged as to prevent theinsertion of an instrument horizontally into the machine, wherebytampering with the coin-controlled mechanism back of the guard g iseffectively prevented.

The rear section 19 of the plate P of each delivery mechanism isprovided with a lug 36 which coperates with the lower' end 37 of theupper front panel 38 of the casing to lock the delivery mechanisms inplace when the front panel 38 is in closed position. Only the lowerportion of the front panel 38 is shown in the drawings, but it will be'understood that this panel extends upwardly to the top of the machine toclose the space where the magazines are housed. It is usual to provide alock at the upper end of the removable front panel 38, so that thispanel may be locked in place on the casing. The panel38 is usually ofwood,

and the lower edge 3T is preferably a separate piece of metal secured tothe wooden portion of the panel by means of screws 39, or otherwise. Thepanel 38 is also provided with a hook portion l() adapted to engage pinsor lugs 41 projecting inwardly from the side walls'of the casing. Itwill be clear from Fig. 2 that when the upper front panel 38 is inplace, the engagement between the parts 3G and 37 absolutely locks thedelivery mechanisms against vwithdrawal from the machine. Anotheradvantage of this locking` means between the delivery mechanisms and theupper front panel 38 is, that unless all of the delivery mechanisms arein proper position on the frame-work F, the lower end 3T of the frontpanel 38 cannot rest on the rear section 19 immediately in front of thelugs 3G, in which event it will be impossible to lock the panel 3S inplace, because the upper end of the panel would not then go into thecasing. I have not illustrated this particular point, because the use ofremovable front panels on vending machines is well known, andY it willtherefore be understood how the panel would not fit at the top of thecasing if the lower end 3T rested on the lugs 36 instead of on thesection 19 of the plates P.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have provided amultiple-compartment machine in which the separate delivery mechanismsmay be removed independently of each other. Should any one of themechanisms require repair, it is only necessary to remove that mechanismand insert a new one in its place. Heretofore, in multiplecompartmentmachines, it has been necessary to send the entire machine, or at leastall of the delivery mechanisms, bach to the factory for repair, when anyone of those mechanisms beame disarranged. By my present invention, Iobviate this expensive procedure, for the local agent in charge of themachines will carry several eXtra mechanisms in stock, and it would be asimple mattei' to remove a defective mechanism and replace it by a goodone.

Then the delivery mechanisms are in place on the machine, the plates Pact as a single member to close the opening between the lower end 3T ofthe upper front panel 3S and the top of the lower panel 17. Thisdispenses with a separate' cover plate found in so many machinesheretofore constructed.

Although I have herein shown and described a certain specificconstruction, I would have it understood that this has been merely forthe sake of illustration and not by way of limitation. It is obviousthat changes may be made in the particular structure set forth, withoutdeparting from the invention as delined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention,

said main framework being provided withv pairs of supporting rails orflanges running iarallel with the sides thereof each air of l a P saidflanges being in alinement with oneof said magazines, a unitaryframework supy"ported between each pair of said flanges,

each of said unitary frameworks being readily slidable into and out ofengagement with the flanges of 'said main framework independently of theother unitary frameworks, hand-operable delivery mechanism carried byeach of said unitary frameworks, each of said unitary frameworks and itsdelivery mechanism being removable asta single member or unit withoutdisturbing the other unitary frameworks and their delivery mechanisms,and cooperating means on said unitary frameworks and the lower end ofsaid front panelfor locking all of said unitary frameworks in place onsaid main framework when said panel is in closed position,'\said unitaryframeworks being automatically unlocked upon the` removal of said panel.

2, In a vending machine, a closed outer casing having a plurality ofmagazines, a removable front panel on said casing, a main frameworksupported between the sides of the casing below said front panel, saidmain framework being provided with pairs of supporting rails or flangesruiming parallel with the sidstl'iereof, each pair of said flanges beingin alinement with one of said magazines, a unitary framework supportedbetween each pair of said flanges, each of said unitary frameworksincluding a top plate which is readily slidable into and out ofengagement with a `pair of said anges independently of the other unitaryframeworks, the top plates constituting a Y portion of the outer frontwall of said casing below ,said removable panel, hand-operable deliverymechanism carried by each of said unitary frameworks, each of saidunitary frameworks and its delivery mechanism being removable as asingle member or unit without disturbing the other unitary frameworksand their delivery mechanisms, and coperating means on said unitaryframeworks and the lower end of said front panel for locking all of saidunitary frameworks in place on said main framework when said panel is inclosed position, said unitary frameworks being automatically unlockedupon the removal of said panel.

3. In a vending machine, a Closed outer casing having a plurality ofmagazines, a removable front panel on said casing, a main frameworksupported between the sides of the casing below said front panel, saidmain framework being provided with pairs of supporting rails., orflanges running parallel with the sides thereof, each pair of saidflanges being in alinement with one of said magazines, a unitaryframework supported between each pair of said flanges, each of saidunitary frameworks comprising a top plate and a pair of arms extendingrearwardly from said top plate, said top plates being readily slidableintoand out of engagement with said flanges independently of each otherand constituting a portion of the outer front wall of said casing belowsaid removable panel, means for supporting a magazine on each pair ofsaid arms, handoperable delivery mechanism carried by each unitaryframework, said delivery mechanisms including each a liandbperablemember projecting forwardly from the top plate of the associated unitaryframework, an ejecting member movable between the pair of arms of eachunitary framework, each of said unitary frameworks and its deliverymechanism being removable as a single member or unit without disturbingthe other unitary frameworks and their delivery mechanisms, andcoperating means on said top plates and the lower end of said frontpanel for locking all 4of said unitary frameworks in place on said mainframework when said panel is in closed position, said unitary frameworksbeing .automatically unlocked upon the removal of said panel.

4. In a vending machine, a casing having an upper section and a lower orbase section, a removable panel for closing the front of said uppersection, a front panel for said base section, a framework mountedbetween the sides of said 'base section at the upper end of said secondpanel, a plurality of metal plates mounted side by side on saidframework and closing the space or gap between said two panels, saidplates being slidably supported and removable independently of eachother, a handbperable delivery mechanism carried by each plate andremovable therewith, and cooperating means on said plates and the lowerend of said removable panel for locking said plates in position on saidframework when said reinovable panel is in closed position.

5. In a vending machine, a casing, a framework supported between thesides of said easing and removable as a whole, said framework comprisinga transverse supporting base and a plurality of flanged members rigidlymounted on said base at right angles thereto, the flanges of saidmembers being arranged in pairs and the flanges of each pair extendingtoward each other, a unitary section slidably supported between eachpair of flanges, delivery mechanism mounted 0n each section, eachsection and its delivery mechanism being removable from said frameworkindependently of the other sections and their delivery mechanisms, andmeans for locking said sections in place on said framework.

6. In a vending machine, an outer casing, a plurality of magazinesmounted therein, a main framework supported between the sides of saidcasing and having pairs of flanges running substantially parallel withthe sides of the casing, a unitary framework supported between each pairof said flanges substantially in alinement with one of said magazines,parts of said unitary frameworks constituting a portion of the outerwall of said casing, and a delivery 'mechanism carried by each unitaryframework, l"each of said unitary frameworks and its delivery mechanismbeing removable from and insertible into said main framework as a singlemember or unit without disturbing the other unita-ry frameworks andtheir delivery mechanisms.

7. In a vending machine, an outer casing, a plurality of magazinesmounted therein, a main framework supported between the sides of saidcasing and having pairs of flanges ruiming substantially parallel withthe sides of the casing, a unitary framework supported between each pairof said flanges substantially in alinement with one of said magazines,each of said unitary frameworks having a top plate readily slidable intoand out of engagement with the associated pair of flanges independentlyof the other top plates, said top plates constituting a portion of theouter front wall of said casing, and a delivery mechanism carried byeachunitary framework, each of said unitary frameworks and its deliverymechanism being removable from and insertible into said main frameworkas a single member or unit without disturbing the otherv unitaryframeworks and their delivery mechanisms.

8. In a vending machine, an outer casing, a plurality of magazinesmounted therein, a main framework supported between the sides of saidcasing and having pairs of flanges running substantially parallel withthe' sides of the casing, a unitary framework supported between eachpair of said flanges substantially in alinement with one of saidmagazines, a delivery mechanism carried by each unitary' framework, eachof said unitary frameworks and its delivery mechanism being removablefrom and insertible into said main framework as a single member or unitwithout disturbing the other unitary frameworks, their deliverymechanisms, parts of said unitary frameworks constituting a portion ofthe outer wall of said casing, a removable front panel on said casing,and cooperating means on said panel and said unitary frameworks forlocking the latter onvsaid main framework when said panel is in closedposition on said casing.

9. In a vending machine, a casing having an upper section and aforwardly projecting lower or base section, a panel for closing thefront of each section, a plurality of metal plates arranged side by sideand completely closing the space or gap between the lower end of theupper panel and the top end of the lower panel, means for slidablysupporting each plate independently o f the others, delivery mechanismcarried by each plate and removable therewith, and means for lockingsaid plates in 'position on the casing.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 4th day of May,1918.

ALBERT D. GROVER.

